Northug not out of the race: 'Stiff as a stick'

Petter Northug is proving he's not out of the competitive spirit, even after a whirlwind 24 hours that included a debut on the Swedish dance competition "Let's Dance." The 40-year-old athlete impressed in a roller ski sprint at Toppidrettsveka, showcasing a different kind of performance than his recent foray onto the dance floor.

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It is not a secret that I am stiff in the hips. Now I have shown it to all of Scandinavia. I am stiff as a stick, and we saw that very clearly yesterday.

Northug arrived at the event after a late flight and a significant drive, admitting he felt stiff from his dancing efforts. "I am stiff as a stick, and we saw that very clearly yesterday," he told organizers before the race. Despite these self-described limitations, Northug's body performed significantly better on the roller skis. He secured a respectable sixth place in the prologue, a marked improvement from his dance floor experience.

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Here I think my body functions significantly better.

Reflecting on his dance participation, Northug suggested it was better than being sedentary. "Probably not, but it's better than lying on the sofa," he quipped when asked if dancing is the new training method for cross-country skiing. Meanwhile, in another event, fellow Norwegian skier Johannes Høsflot Klæbo had a difficult outing, finishing significantly behind the winner in a 53 km long-distance race, describing his performance as feeling like he had "never skied in his life."

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Probably not, but it's better than lying on the sofa.